A BABY otter will be tucking into a tasty fish supper this Christmas after he was found abandoned on a Herefordshire industrial estate.

Security guards Chris Prince and Andrew James from Universal Beverages Limited on Robertson’s Business Park in Ledbury found the little otter, believed to be just four or five weeks old, on Saturday night.

Wildlife lover Chris recognised it was a tiny otter but could also see that it was underweight, weak and disorientated.

Using bacon butties to tempt him back to the gatehouse, the guards called the RSPCA which put them in touch with Vale Wildlife Hospital near Tewkesbury.

“I was about to do one of my hourly patrols when I saw it moving in the middle of the road,” said Chris.

“I'm a keen wildlife fan and have a knowledge of animals so knew what it was straight away. We were wary because they have a strong bite that can take your fingers off, but he followed me like a little puppy.”

Staff from the wildlife hospital came to collect the otter later that night and he was soon enjoying a specially made fish smoothie. He has now been relocated to Scotland to live with other orphaned otters.

While UBL is located close to the River Leadon, it’s a mystery how the baby became separated from its mother.

Chris and Andrew have scoured the river banks to see if there were any other lost cubs and spent the next day on constant patrol, but have not seen any siblings.

In Scotland, the otter is in the care of specialists and learning to socalise with others of his kind so he can one day be released back into the wild.